Ton first got a university degree in the Dutch language writing a thesis about the use of machinery and special effects on the stages of the 17th and 18th century European theatres. He briefly studied the recorder at the Utrecht Conservatory, but came to prefer the harpsichord and its repertoire. He decided to continue in this direction and started his training in 1982 as an apprentice in the workshop of Joop Klinkhamer. Within a few years he was invited to become partner and he is now the manager of the company.
An amateur harpsichordist himself (he won Haarlem’s amateur harpsichord competition in 1988), he is an expert keyboard maker who also specializes in voicing, regulating and tuning. As a professional tuner he has contributed to recordings for such labels as Globe, Ramée, Glossa and Wildboar, and as a harpsichord technician he has traveled extensively in Europe and to Japan, Korea, the U.S.A. and Canada, servicing instruments and giving courses on tuning and maintenance. He is responsible for harpsichord maintenance at both the Amsterdam and Utrecht conservatories.
These activities are guided by his belief that a well-maintained harpsichord is essential to any serious player, a point which he feels is too often neglected by players and builders alike. This is why he travels so extensively: to keep the instruments in shape.
Ton is also a qualified translator of Spanish, coordinating the contacts with our Spanish speaking customers.